The efficiency of the radio frequency power amplifier used in a battery powered handset unit of a wireless communications system is a major consideration because this power amplifier is the largest power load on the battery. The higher the efficiency of the power amplifier, the longer time use of the battery powered handset without a recharge.
For a J-CDMA power amplifier, the unit should meet the accepted performance standards for power amplifier efficiency, gain and adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) at full power (i.e., +27 dBm), while providing exceptionally good efficiency at lower power (i.e., +13 dBm).
Typical prior art implementations of 27 dBm to 28 dBm power amplifiers provide gains on the order of 28 dB, power amplifier efficiency on the order of 32% for GaAs MOSFET (Anadigics). It is believed that exotic and costly technologies like GaAs PHMET could achieve 45% to 50% power amplifier efficiency in such prior art configuration at full power.